The main goal of seminar was to inform and sensitise students and general public about plastic-borne diseases, as well as to emphasise on importance of reducting plastic pollution.
An awareness seminar on plastic pollution reduction was organised by the Water and Sanitation Services Company of Mardan, Abdul Wali Khan University of Mardan (AWKUM), and the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS).
According to the handout, the main goal of the seminar was to inform and sensitise students and the general public about plastic-borne diseases, as well as to emphasise on importance of reduction of plastic pollution.
Dr Hameeda Bibi from AWKUM briefed the audience on the mechanisms of micro-plastic accumulation and uptake in soil and plant systems; Uzma Noreen on the bacterial degradation of plastic; and Muhammad Ishaq on plastic recycling technologies; while in the panel discussion, Ayaz Ali from PRCS, Rahatullah from WSSCM, and Dr Shams Ali Baig from AWKUM participated and provided practical solutions.
DG EPA Anwar Khan stated that the Khyber Pakhunkhwa government would ban the use of all types of plastic beginning on February 1st.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the only province with a climate change policy. He stated that the province has established an improvement fund for the reduction of environmental pollution, through which ideas for environmental research would be funded and supported.
He stated that over 350 million tonnes of plastic are used globally each year. Pakistan is the sixth-largest producer and consumer of plastic, according to him. Furthermore, 20% to 30% of municipal waste contains plastic, of which only 10% can be recycled, 24% can be used for energy, and 60% is not used in any way.
WSSCM Deputy Manager Municipal Services Muhammad Ishaq informed the participants that WSSCM collects and disposes of 180 tonnes of garbage from Mardan city on a daily basis, with plastic waste accounting for more than 7.3% of the total.
“If we don’t reduce our use of plastic, it will have a negative impact on our environment,” he said. The speakers urged all stakeholders to take action to reduce plastic pollution through public awareness, the media, and other means of communication.